Individual Spirituality | Embracing Multiple Spiritual Paths

Navigating Multiple Spiritual Traditions

Are you drawn to another spiritual tradition despite following a specific one, but you hesitate to explore it because you feel like betraying your current path?

Do you worry that the new teaching you are interested in might confuse you and dilute your current practice?

Or are you concerned about losing support from your spiritual community if you embrace another tradition in your life?

In the past, it was quite easy. If you were on a spiritual path, you were limited to the one that was available in the area where you lived. So the question about adding another tradition did not really come up for most seekers.

However, as the world has become more connected over the past 100 to 200 years, things have changed. Knowledge about different spiritual traditions has spread across the world, and now, with the internet, things are moving even faster. It only takes a second to look up a specific teaching, and what was once hidden and kept secret in monasteries for thousands of years is now freely available to everyone.

I think it's a great gift for humanity and the awakening of consciousness, but it also brings challenges along with these changes.

Facing the Challenges of Embracing Multiple Spiritual Paths

People can feel disoriented wondering how they can follow multiple traditions without weakening their current practice. Since there is no prescribed path on how to integrate different traditions, they are completely on their own. 

This can lead to a fear of not knowing how to deal with the seeming contradictions of different doctrines. 

For example, in the Hindu and Advaita traditions, the ultimate state or reality is often referred to as "the Self," whereas the Buddha proclaimed that there simply is no self. And if you search online, you'll find many people losing their minds about what is true, and how these views can or can not be compared.

You don’t even need to compare different traditions to find discussions like these. Take Zen Buddhism, for example. There has been a major discussion ongoing for at least 1,000 or 2,000 years about whether enlightenment happens suddenly or gradually. And they still haven’t reached a conclusion on this one yet.

Or take a modern interpretation of spirituality which is called non-duality. They reject the very notion of an individual who can or can not attain enlightenment, saying that any seeking is ultimately useless anyway.

This might seem to contradict other traditions that emphasize the importance of spiritual practice. It even seems to contradict a radical tradition such as Zen, where they say that there is nothing to attain, but they still emphasize the need to practice in order to realize this nothingness. So you see, it’s very easy to get caught up in the apparent differences between various teachings. It might even make you wonder if they are talking about the same thing or not.

Another issue people can run into is related to their current teacher and the community they practice with. They might feel disloyal to their current tradition as if they are betraying their teachers. Or they may be concerned about being judged by others in their community for exploring another teaching method.

People can become very rigid when it comes to the belief system they've subscribed to, and when peers choose to embrace something else, they may criticize them for doing it.

Or perhaps you start worrying about your own identity. You may have identified as, let's say, a Zen practitioner or a Christian, and perhaps you felt a sense of stability in that identity because it gave you clear direction. Now, your identity becomes less clear, which can feel like you are losing ground, losing your stability and sense of assurance. 

There are probably many more factors to consider when it comes to this. The only question we are left with is how to handle these doubts. 

How can we explore another spiritual teaching we are interested in without getting lost in the apparent differences or fearing the reaction of our community?

Navigating My Journey

After I had become aware that something like enlightenment exists and that it is real, I wanted to know everything about it. Very quickly it became clear to me that all the sages and holy people we know about basically talked about the same thing. I learned that these people had a realization of our true nature, and depending on the culture they lived in, shared it in a way that was appropriate to that culture. They used words and concepts that reflected the culture they grew up in, but they were all pointing to the same thing.

For me, it became clear that all traditions ultimately point to the same truth, and it didn't really matter which one I followed as long as I approached it from a genuine place.

However, two spiritual traditions stood out for me. One was Hinduism and Advaita Vedanta, and the other was Zen Buddhism.

What drew me to the Indian religions was that the sages spoke very directly about spirituality and enlightenment. They have a long tradition dating back thousands of years, and I was impressed by the stories about these sages and how they got enlightenment. In addition to that, I also had a somewhat mysterious feeling about it. 

I find it hard to explain, but their entire spiritual history—the Himalayas, their music—evoked a deep sense of sacredness within me and a feeling that there is something profound to discover.

So I started reading books from famous Indian gurus and sages. Since it was clear to me that any tradition really points to the same thing, I didn’t limit myself to it. I mean I started meditating based on the suggestions in these books, but I still kept doing a lot of research on the internet about enlightenment and the best way to get there.

This is when I became really curious about Zen Buddhism. It seemed to me that Zen Buddhists are very serious about enlightenment. So serious that they don’t even talk about it since talking about enlightenment would pose a hindrance to actually realizing enlightenment. For me, they were the Navy Seals of enlightenment. Very efficient, no-bs, just getting the job done. So, I simply looked up a Zen school near where I lived and started attending. I began attending many of their practice sessions and also sat in many of their meditation retreats. Naturally, I dove deeper into Zen Buddhism and would consider this tradition the foundation of my spiritual journey.

However, at no point during my time, was I exclusive to that tradition. I always continued reading books from other traditions or from teachers who did not belong to any particular tradition at all. 

One spiritual teacher I studied during my early phase of practicing Zen was Jiddu Krishnamurti. He was a spiritual teacher who did not come from a specific tradition and did not teach in the style of any tradition. He was much more radical. For everyone who is not familiar with his writings or speeches, he rejected any external authority such as spiritual traditions, and emphasized the direct observation of one’s own mind to achieve true freedom and insight. His teachings stuck very deeply with me and made me aware of the danger of getting attached to a given spiritual teaching or community.

So, whatever teaching I encountered, I saw it merely as a different perspective on the same truth.

Therefore I’d recommend not getting attached to any single point of view. See a given spiritual teaching as a means to an end, as a pointer to the truth, but don’t mistake it for the truth. Even if the teaching is dear to your heart, remember that it is the truth you are looking for, not the teaching. And the truth is not limited to any teaching or point of view.

For me, Zen is the most straightforward and direct vehicle to the truth. It leaves you with nothing, but yourself, dismissing any image that you may have about yourself or the world, opening your mind to the wonder of every moment without grasping at it.

Although there is a heartfelt aspect to Zen, especially in the tradition I study, which is the Korean tradition, I’d say other teachings have impressed me more with their focus on the heart.

One such example is Sufism. After reading the works of Irina Tweedie, a well-known Western Sufi, I couldn’t help but focus my attention intensely on my heart during my daily walks. Whenever I practiced meditation formally sitting on my cushion I’d employ Zen practices, but when I went for my daily walk I’d keep my attention on my heart as the Sufis suggested.

I wasn’t afraid of watering down any practice I did, but made time for each that interested me and did it with my whole heart. I think it's helpful to keep different practices separate and not mix them too much to avoid diluting them. Each practice has its own science behind it, and I trust the practice more than I trust my own ability to mix them effectively.

Each practice has a history of hundreds or even thousands of years and so I think it’s important to do it in the prescribed way to get the most benefit.

Sure, I think there’s a time and place to explore your intuition freely, perhaps even create a practice that suits your needs, allowing you to explore without being limited by any specific teaching. But again, I would ensure to set aside dedicated time for it and approach it with clear intention.

In the end, we will ultimately abandon all practices altogether anyway. The more we are rooted in truth, the more we will practice with every breath we take. So just be clear about your intention, about what you are truly longing for, and try your best to implement it in your daily life. Don’t limit yourself in any rigid way, but also don’t get lost in doing whatever you want at any given moment. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong, and sooner or later you’ll arrive at the destination you desire anyway. Everything is right just as it is, so don’t doubt yourself too much.

Last but not least, I want to talk about spiritual teachings and communities and the feeling of betraying them if you add a new teaching to your life. I have met masters from different traditions, and although they were firmly rooted in their tradition, none of them declared it to be the ultimate truth. They understood that each tradition is only one path of many, and I was never discouraged to look into other traditions. They would even encourage me to just keep following my heart, but also emphasized the importance of clarity and not getting confused.

I don't know what situation you might be in, but I wouldn’t trust any teacher or community that sees themselves as the only chosen ones. With communities, I even see the danger of people becoming attached to the comforting feeling of belonging, offollowing a path together, and becoming passive in their spiritual pursuit.

Sure, a spiritual community is a wonderful thing, and the spirit of the group can evoke an energy that’s stronger than you just practicing on your own. But many times, people are also feeling alone and seek the remedy of being in a group to overcome this feeling. If this is the intention the practice will be shallow.

There is a wonderful quote from Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn: "When alone, practice as if you are with others, and when with others, practice as if you are alone.” So making sure your intention is clear when practicing in a community is a helpful thing. Maybe even ask yourself from time to time why you are actually practicing in a community.  Oftentimes, habit takes over, and we repeat things simply because we think we need to, not because our heart truly longs for it.

Lastly, I'd like to comment on the concept of "spiritual window shopping."

There's a saying that it's better to dig one deep hole in search of water rather than hundreds of shallow ones. Since gaining access to a variety of spiritual teachings has become very easy, it can pose the danger of not committing sufficiently to one particular practice.

Don’t look for another teaching when it gets challenging. Allow yourself enough time to explore a tradition before moving on or adding another teaching. Our modern minds have become so restless that committing to certain things has become more challenging. Keep this in mind and make sure that you don't get sidetracked by the excitement of something new instead of following through on what you initially set out to do.

There are many stories about ancient Zen Masters who meditated on a single phrase or statement for decades before attaining enlightenment. They succeeded because they committed fully to their practice, with their entire life and heart.

So any true spiritual teaching will suffice if you just commit to it fully.

Guidelines for a Focused Spiritual Journey

To summarize it, I’d suggest the following:

• Have clarity on why you are on a spiritual journey.
• Have a clear intention for each practice or tradition you follow.
• Don’t get caught up with the differences in each practice. Most often they are pointing to the same thing, but using different explanations.
• A community that encourages you to follow your own wisdom and heart is helpful.
• Don’t get lost in spiritual window shopping. If in doubt, commit fully to one tradition instead of seeking other teachings when challenges arise.
• Don’t get attached to any spiritual teaching, as they are all merely pointers to the truth, not the truth itself.

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All the best,

Your friend of the way.